


Ascension of the Emperor

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angry Poe Dameron, Angst, Conflicted Kylo Ren, Dreams and Nightmares, Emperor Kylo Ren, Kylo Ren Angst, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren in Love, Kylo Ren is a Mess, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Resistance Leader Poe Dameron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-24 10:11:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16172975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Kylo Ren has become Emperor of the galaxy, but there are always those out there to oppose him — such as what’s left of the New Rebellion.





	1. Emperor Victorious

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“The Republic is no more.” It was one of Kylo Ren’s Knights, Bastia Ren, that spoke in that moment. “Long live Kylo Ren, Emperor of the galaxy!”

Kylo Ren stepped forward, looking down at the others, who looked up at him. Others, who looked up at him, fear and awe in their faces in that moment. It should have been satisfying, being Emperor of the galaxy. He had come so far, after all. 

Instead, he felt strangely, peculiarly empty. Like there was an emptiness that couldn’t quite be stopped. He had come so far. He wasn’t weak Ben Solo anymore, he wasn’t completely nothing. It should have been satisfying. He had claimed his rightful throne, and the Rebellion that General Organa had tried to form was now in tatters. 

It felt the opposite of satisfying. It felt empty. Here he was, Emperor victorious, and he felt almost the same as he did on Crait: vulnerable. 

He looked down at the people of the First Order, those who had followed him so far. They were lesser — Hux was gone, for example — but those loyal to him still remained. 

That counted for something, at least. 

When he’d joined the First Order, Snoke hadn’t just promised him safety, but bringing a new order to the galaxy. “The galaxy is broken,” he’d said. “Instability, disorder — we are here to put an end to it.” And Ben Solo, who had felt every star and every planet throughout the galaxy suffering, found what Snoke proposed too wonderful to refuse. 

So here he was. Perhaps he could honor at least one part of Ben Solo, though he no longer thought of the deceased Snoke as wise. He had promised the scavenger the chance to bring a new order to the galaxy. 

He might as well show her he was telling nothing but the truth. 

“People of the First Order,” he said, and he felt a moment of hesitation. He was not Hux; he was not one for speeches. He was not used to them. “We have won. And now...it’s time to leave the old ways behind. Let them die. Kill them, if we have to. The old ways have caused us nothing but trouble, nothing but pain. In the place of the old ways, we make way for the new ones. A new order for the galaxy. One where we can bring the sort of stability the Republic never could.” He paused. “They failed us. They couldn’t care less about those throughout the galaxy. I felt it. I saw it. But we’ve ultimately triumphed over the Republic. Of course, the Rebels will not stop until we are annihilated. They seek to restore tyranny. They’ve destroyed ships, the planet of Starkiller in the name of restoring the Republic’s tyranny. They are not Rebels; they are tyrants, plain and simple, and we will not stop fighting until they are dead.”

The crowd cheered, and Kylo felt his chest clench in that moment. Some he would have no problem killing. But others — the scavenger, his mother, and Poe — he doubted that he could kill. 

Killing them — even after they hated him — was something he couldn’t bring himself to do. 

He continued talking. Talked about the reforms that they were going to make, about what they were going to do. 

When he was done, Bastia Ren turned to look at him. “Excellent speech, my Lord,” she said as she walked out with him. 

“I am no politician, Bastia.”

”But you did well,” Bastia said. “And you don’t need to be. Lead us to the end and we will follow you.”

Kylo supposed she was right. That was the best he could do, in the end. Lead them to the end. He would. And perhaps convince Poe Dameron that his way, in the end, was the right one. 

And yet...

And yet, even walking away from the balcony of Coruscant, Kylo Ren doubted he had ever felt more alone. 


	2. In the Sanctuary of Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo dreams of Poe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It was when he slept that he thought of Poe. 

Poe Dameron, strong and brave and beautiful, appeared in his sleep just as he was settling down to an uneasy sleep. Kylo couldn’t say whether or not the Force was opening another bond like Snoke had initiated with Rey or if it was all inside his head. Stars knew what it was. Force knew he wasn’t the most stable of beings. Starkiller proved it. Crait proved it. But Poe would see the him he was supposed to be. Not a failure, not a joke. Not a child in a mask, as Snoke would have said. An Emperor, a man. The monster that his family always thought he was. 

Well, his father hadn’t thought it. But certainly his mother thought it, and his uncle thought it.  (And Kylo could only hope that somewhere in the afterlife, Skywalker never knew peace)

But whatever the circumstances, Poe was here. 

“Poe.” Kylo couldn’t help but call him by his name, and not his title. “I should have known at one point I’d find you here.”

”How could you?”

Kylo knew what he was talking about. “I took no pleasure in it,” he said, and that was the truth. Kylo was rarely sadistic, after all, and hurting someone he still loved hurt. 

“You betrayed me. Betrayed all of us. And for what? Power?”

Safety, Kylo wanted to say. But it seemed that even in the dream, he couldn’t find the right words. 

Poe continued. “Why did you tear your own family apart?”

”I didn’t.” The words left his mouth in the dream before he could think. “Skywalker did. He tried to kill me.”

”He’d never — ’’

”He did,” Kylo said. “And you think he’s a hero. Creature was too much of a coward to face me himself; he had to project himself through the Force to fight me.” A beat. “At least I have the courage to face my enemies. It doesn’t matter, Poe; I’m not a failure anymore. I’m not weak anymore. Ben Solo is dead.”

”You weren’t weak — ”

”I was. You know it. I know it. Everyone knew.” A beat. “But no longer.” 

“You were so much more than that,” Poe said. “I loved you. I still love you. I always will.”

Kylo woke, and he could swear that he could hear Poe’s voice still, lingering in his ears. 

And all the while, Kylo could only assume that Poe Dameron’s declaration of love was all in his head. It had to be. Something he wished would happen, as opposed to what actually was. 

It wasn’t like a vision. It was all in his head, no more, no less. He would always love Poe. But any hope of reciprocation would only be in his head. 


End file.
